EC bans exit polls from Jan 28th to Mar 3rd 2012

• The Election Commission (EC) of India has banned exit polls during the entire period when elections to the five state assemblies would be held. In a statement in Dehradun, Chief Electoral Officer, Uttarakhand, Radha Raturi said that in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Election Commission of India has notified the period between 7am on January 28, 2012 and 5.30pm on March 3, 2012 as the period during which conducting any exit poll or disseminating the result of any exit poll would be prohibited.
  

• While January 28 is the first day of polling in Manipur, March 3 is the last day of polling in Goa and Uttar Pradesh. Mr.Raturi said that under the provisions, displaying any election matter, including results of any opinion poll or any other poll survey, in any electronic media, would be prohibited.

What is an exit poll?

        An election exit poll is a poll of voters taken immediately after they have exited the polling stations. Unlike an opinion poll, which asks whom the voter plans to vote for or some similar formulation, an exit poll asks whom the voter actually voted for.